While legal moves from Buckingham Palace have so far failed in their bid to stop the publication of topless photos of the Duchess of Cambridge, the palace is preparing for a big injunction against an Italian magazine publishing 200 of them.

The pictures show Prince William and Kate Middleton enjoying a private sunbathing session on a romantic holiday in the South of France. A paparazzo snapped the shot using a long lens camera from a position almost a kilometre away.

The Irish Star has already come under fire for publishing some of the photos along with French magazine Closer, which had the first exclusive. Now, Italian magazine Chi is threatening to use at least 50 of the 200 photos it has across a 26-page spread.

News broke of the Duchess' invasion of privacy when her and Prince William were on an official tour through Singapore, and the palace took immediate action.

But according to British Paper the Daily Mail, Chi editor Alfonso Signorini said he was not concerned by legal action.

"I am convinced by this scoop that Chi will be publishing on Monday because that is what we are talking about. These pictures are not offensive or in poor taste, they are not morbid and they do not damage the dignity of anyone.

"Instead the pictures that were published in Britain of Prince Harry were exactly that - if I didn't recognise the journalistic value of what I had then if I did not publish them I would be better off in a market selling artichokes.

"These pictures were taken while the couple were on a terrace and they were taken from a public place so there is no suggestion of an invasion of privacy," he said.

The Duke and Duchess have now touched down in the Solomon Islands and are said to be still fuming, though Middleton is pushing through.

The Mail reported that lawyers for the Duke and Duchess would appear in court in Paris today to try to prevent further publication of topless photographs of Kate. They are also reportedly seeking legal damages against the French Closer magazine.

St James's Palace said that the couple would also make a criminal complaint against the photographer who took the topless pictures of Kate.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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